The CALL of MADNESS
by Hisaharu
Summary: Where I live is called Brink. It literally on the brink of End, which is the ruling world of insanity. Ruling over that not-so fair land is the Demon God of Madness, Asura. He rules over the dark, creeps in the shadows. There is no running from the…I would say man, but he's not. This monster. He is the very ruler of End, half the world is his territory. -Full summary inside-
1. I'm on the BRINK, let me whisper to YOU

**My beta seem's to be absent or something, cuz' she's not sending me anything back. Soooo I've decided to start looking for a new one. I'm sad, now!**

* * *

_A few things about this story I NEED to point out;_

_It's a OOU, but it's allot like the real story...Kinddddaaa._

_I changed ALLOT of stuff._

_Since just saying Kishin Egg's gets repetitive, I've decided to just give them another name. KISSHU (In all caps in hopes someone will notice something if their just skimming through this) is what their called. Okay? Okay._

* * *

**Prologue:**

The **CALL **of **MADNESS**

Where I live is called Brink. It literally on the brink of End, which Is the ruling world of insanity. Ruling over that not-so fair land in the Demon God of Madness, Asura. He rules over the dark, creeps in the shadows. There is no running form the…I would say man, but he's not. This monster. He is the very ruler of End, half the world is his territory. I live in the place right on the border, it's a place where madness and sanity run between each other and battle out for the winning land. For over eight hundred years End has been waiting for Asura to arise and take the land, and take over the world. For he has been missing for over eight hundred years, yet his insanity has branched out to tell us he truly is still alive.

There are some people who can resist and even counteract the effect his madness. These people are called Angels. The Angels are apart of the Academy, a place where they train and strive to become the next step, Archangels. Things that physically go out and fight the madness of the Kishin. I am an 'Angel.' There are people called Weapon Partners, Aka; People who could be transform into weapons at will to fight the Kishin and his minions called; Kishin Eggs. Or Kisshu for short.

The Academy is in Death City, the capital of Light, our side of the world. Watching over our side of the world is the great god of death himself. Lord Death is our founding light; he is the most powerful in our small, half snick of the land. He is the only thing keeping us alive.

The Kishin is the only thing powerful enough to kill Lord Death.

I have been caught up in this battle, being a young Angel, and now I have no choice but to fight with Lord Death, die on his missions, or live and become a Archangel, dying at the hand of the Kishin's top dogs, or even more unlikely, himself.

Wish me luck.

【-✖- **Hϊsαhαяu -✖- **】

**Chapter 1:**

Her breath slowed, her hand twitched and her lungs burned with a hot fire, but she resisted the urge to breath. If she was to breath, it was all over.

Her hand tightened just the smallest fraction on an inch, and Maka blinked to get the white puffs off her eyelashes. Her legs where going numb, sharp prickles shooting through her skin in an attempt to get blood through to them. Her ears rang with strain as Maka tried to listen, teeth quietly chewing on her bottom lip with a vengeance. Frosty air bit her cheeks, making them pink and flush, nose numb just like her legs.

A slight noise. If she hadn't of been listening she would of missed it for sure, but oh, she _was_ listening. Grabbing the fallen tree that was her hiding spot, she kicked forward and flipped over it with agility, legs darting out to catch her. Her hand shot forward, releasing the object that was her opponents doom.

She hit the ground hard, but her large snow jacket cushioning it. A loud curse and trump was the successful noise that made her laughter ring up.

"Maka, that's cheating!" Soul glared, red eyes glinting. "Your so damn small I couldn't see you!"

"Shut up, Soul," She grinned. "You have white hair, you're camouflaged!"

"Yea, and your flat chest-!"

He made an _'oof'_ nose at the snowball smacked into his face, a hard one at that, and dropped the ones in his hand. Devious grin in place, Maka smacked the other two she had into his back, prancing away with a laugh.

Soul darted forward after her, snickering madly. Trying to prance away, she headed for their home when his hand grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to him. Squirming in his grasp, she pouted. "Let me go, Soul!" She complained half heartily.

Yeah, Maka didn't really care how close she and Soul where. Soul 'Eater' Evans was her Weapon partner, and they had lived side by side since she was ten. Around the age of thirteen she had been allowed to buy a small apartment in Brink, just big enough for them to live nicely. Schooling wasn't a problem, with her studious habits and books she didn't need a school. Not that Brink had one; it had burn down around thirty years ago.

Soul released her, shaking his white head. She was short, around five foot two and still he was her size, despite his age of sixteen. He always swore he had a growth spurt coming on, and Maka had just rolled her eyes and laughed. Walking towards the house, her large snow boots crunched audibly. "Remember the bet, Soul!" She tied to hide her smile.

"Yeah, yeah," He complained. "Loser has to go to the Market and buy the hot cocoa."

Laughing, Maka nodded and held up a hand, gesturing to the fence door. Grumbling about unfairness, Soul shuffled out the gate, delivering her nasty looks. Shaking her head, blond pigtails bouncing, Maka thumped up the stairs to her home. Sliding the key into the lock she reached over and opened the small mailbox. The mail in Brink only came once a week due to how dangerous the area was, they were always getting in trouble for not paying the bills on time because of that fact.

In Brink everything was dangerous, and Maka and Soul where beginning to be known as the brave ones in the neighborhood. Maka and Soul did the odd jobs around town and got paid nicely enough to live healthy. People where so afraid to even go out to the Market, or even fetch some gas for their cars when they ran out.

Shifting through the doorway and into the small three room apartment, Maka tossed the mail on the counter and then the Local Gazette* in the garbage "What use is it to have a paper," Maka thought aloud," When all it does is tell us about the latest murders from the Kisshu?"

Walking past the table and into one of the doors on the right side of her room. hanging up her closet and abandoning her abused snow boots, she walked past Souls room with a sigh. Posters of various supermodels and actresses hung on the wall with an occasional picture of her and Soul. How he got them and how much they cost, Maka really didn't wanna know. Shutting the door with a bang, she huffed.

_Men._

Returning into the living room/entertainment room/ kitchen, Maka sat down at the table. Humming, she ripped open the first letter without looking at it to only role her eyes a few seconds later. It was a hand scrawled letter from her father. She didn't have to see the address to figure it out due to the large 'Oh my darling, sweet, little baby girl Maka', scrawled as first thing in the letter. Why he kept writing when she never replied was a mystery to her. Tossing it behind her into the trash bin without even a blink, she reached for another one.

With fancy paper anyone on Brink would love to get their hands on and even neater scrawl work, the letter was addressed to Soul. Tossing that one across from her by another chair, she grabbed the last letter. With nice, smooth paper she suspected it to be the monthly electricity bill, the only damn thing in Brink that ever made money, but the address at the top made her feel faint.

_The __**D**__eath __**W**__eapon __**M**__iester __**A**__cademy_

Ripping it open in haste, her eyes scanned the paper frantically.

_Dear Maka Albarn and Soul Evans, _

_It has come to the attention of the DWMA that you two are both in the position of Weapon Miester (Miss. Maka Albarn.) and Demon Scythe (Mr. Soul Evans). The DWMA is escorting you both to a safe, healthier home in the DWMA Academy. We are very sorry to inform you that we cannot hesitate and need your forces. You will be escorted in a matter of three day._

_We hope you come willingly and have a good time,_

_**Death Scythe**_

Maka's grasp on the paper shook as she flipped it over, hurrying to find a date. Please, she begged mentally, let 'that man' be smart enough to figure out that there was a big delay in the mail carrier services. Blinking at the date on the back of the paper, the date of three days ago to be exact, she knew he probably wasn't. Maka got up to fast, her chair falling back on the floor with a loud noise. Not even picking it up she threw open the door, eyes locked on the open space of her room. She would come back for the things later once she found Soul.

Arms wrapped around her tightly and her face smashed into someone's chest, a male, no doubt. She had about two point one seconds to wonder who was hugging me before it happened.

_"MAKAAAA!"_ Her eyes widened as it hugged her tightly, swinging her small body like a ragdoll. _"MY BABYYYYYYYYYYY!"_

"Oh…Oh God…" She muttered. _"Father?"_

He screamed her names repeatedly, still running around hugging her. Finally tossing her on the floor, he ran to her room. "Maka, Papa will be right back after he packs your things!" Casting a bewildered look at the retreating redhead, she gasped.

_"Father?"_

But he was already gone and she was left sitting on the ground. The front door was wide open, and poor Maka considered crawling out of it, but reasoned that he would probably track her down. Sighing, she only hoped Soul was in a better condition than she was. Shifting to get up around the time her father happily swung open her bedroom. "Makaaa!" He screeched happily.

"Is that Soul's, too?"

"Nope," He grinned.

Twitching, she glared. "Where's Soul?"

"Oh, that stupid scythe boy…We already got him." Her Father muttered darkly, clearly pouting that she didn't praise the fact he brought her clothes. "Now! Let's go, Maka!"

"W-Wait!" She gasped futilely as he grabbed her by the arm, how he could with all the suitcases in his hands was yet another mystery to her, and dragged her out of her house and down the staircase. Tripping over her own feet, Maka started to fall, only to see the large leather seats in front of her face. Smacking into them, she moaned in annoyance.

"Maka!"

This time it wasn't her fathers incredibly annoying voice in her ear, but Souls. Jerking her head up with a disgruntled sound, she saw a sight that made her twitch. "S-Soul?"

Yep, there was Soul. In the set next to her…Kinda. There was a mesh fence barrier inbetween them, and straps that kept him pulled down into the limo's seat. And, thought, Maka bewilderedly, It's a full limo, with things like a mini fridge, magazines, her father had no doubt bought them thinking she would like them, and a bunch of game devises. Rising an eyebrow at Soul as he wiggled, he managed to slip a hand loose. Reaching through the mesh, he patted her flush cheek. "Maka, are you okay?"

"Yea-" She was once more cut off as her father grabbed Souls hand from her open door, pouting.

"My Maka! Don't touch her, you filthy hormonal STD sex pool!" He glared as Maka screeched.

_Oh, Soul, _thought Maka. He was clearly worried for her, and very stressed. She should say something to him…"Yeah? Well, sorry Pop's, but I'd never fall for such a flat chested girl like Maka!" Soul snickered.

Maka twitched.

Her father put his face against the mesh, all but screaming. _"ARE YOU SAYING MY DARILIN GIRL ISNT ATTRACTIVE!"_

Soul just 'tched,' and Papa grabbed and raddled the fence. "Sorry, I don't go for such uncool girls, you _stupid little fu-_"

"Soul!" She smacked her hand against the mesh. "Stop it!"

Jerking his hand back form the mash, he leaned back with a satisfied smirk. Clearly happy at rattling up her father, Soul looked please. Her fathers face was flushed with anger but he detached himself from the seat, pulling Maka into the seat with a delighted smile. "Maka, please do Daddy a favor and don't touch the nasty little thing next to you, okay?"

_"Oh, you little-!"_

"Whatever, Papa."

He pranced off, and she vaguely saw him get in the front seat. Reaching into the mini fridge and grabbing a energy drink and a DSi, she stuck them through the mesh fence, Soul grinning triumphantly as he slipped his hands out of the straps and grabbed the DSi, buying games most definitely in her fathers name.

Maka sighed, leaning her face against the large window. This was going to be a very long drive.

After eight stops to strap Soul to the seat again, two stops to successfully duck tape Souls mouth shut, and many, many failed and very annoying attempts from her father to make a conversation with her, Maka was ready to smash the mini fridge over someone's head. Swearing to Lord Death himself- her liquid green eyes met her father's reflection in the rearview mirror, she dared him to open his mouth again. Every word was a annoyance, and if he mentioned one more time how much he loved her…

"…and then, Maka, I ran into Professor Sid. I think you'd like him, a nice man, just don't touch his dread locks. Well, back to the subject, dearest, Sid was…"

Soul's loud snores sounded in her ear, her skin aching to get out. She was used to being outside, not cramped up in a limo for seven freakin' hours. Taking a large breath, she gripped the armrest tightly in her small hand. "Papa," She muttered out. "Can we stop somewhere and get some Aspirin or something?"

Blocking out his voice for the sake of her sanity, she caught the words 'of course,' 'soon,' and 'right ahead.' Her father pulled into a large Death Mart, casting her adoring looks as he ran out of the car, into the Death Mart. Slamming the flat of her hand roughly against the mesh chain in attempt to wake up Soul, she sighed defeatidly as he didn't stir. She grabbed the handle of the car door, yanking. Sighing once more and raising a hand to her aching head, she glared evilly at the locked door.

Damn her father. He couldn't be that smart about everything?

After about ten minutes her father ran out of the Death Mart madly, scrambling. Opening the door to the limo, he passed her the bottle with a smile. "There you go, My darling Maka. Feel well soon, okay?"

Twitching a nod, she grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge, watching as her father slinked back to the driver's seat. Rolling her eyes at the dark look he fired at the sleeping Soul, she took two Tylenol. Vaguely, she wondered if she could drug herself through this mess.

Where they were she didn't quite know. Her father proceeded to drive, and the Death Mart seemed so out of place in the area they where in. It was literally the only building in sight. The rest was a monstrous villa of towering sand dunes and desolate little weeds.

Snagging her iPod from the nearest bag, she cranked it up to full volume to The Fray. Rolling her stiff shoulders, she snuggled into the luxurious leather cushions of the limo.

Their was no sound, visibility was nothing but a forgotten dream. There was nothing to touch, and the only thing to keep her from falling into insanity was the feel of something pressing into her back. She assumed it to be a wall, but still the small girl was so very afraid.

There was something in the dark, lusting, wanting, waiting for her. She could tell. Her small form shook in terror, and the feeling of her eyes widening rocked through her. No matter how much she widened her eyes nor tried to utter a word, it never worked. Icy ripples of terror kept her frozen, and her small mind could only come up with one audible thought.

_Monster, monster, monster, monster_

_. Maybe if she kept still, the monster wouldn't get her?_ The monster wanted to hurt her, somehow, to rip her open and drag out every last feeling of terror from her tiny body. But, then, at the same time, it didn't. The monster didn't want to hurt her, it was trying not to. The monster wanted to be gentle to her, almost. She could feel a sense of niceness, longing. It longed to be good, but at the same time didn't know how. It was terrified. It only knew how to hurt.

And it was going to if nothing happened.

The feeling of stress was so thick in the air it rocked through her, but she could feel its eyes somehow on her. It could see her, and she couldn't see it. It was big, well, to her. How long had see been in this dark place? Thrown into it to be the monster food?

But she wouldn't be eaten if she was still, right?

Wrong. She was so wrong, She felt it, she felt the snap. The monster was trying so hard not to hurt her, to just watch and observe, but it was so hungry, too. It was starved, throat on fire, belly full of nothing but burning rocks of hunger. It had to eat, it had to. It didn't want to, but…_It. Had. To._

She sensed it move, sensed it dragging it hunger-mangled body up form the ground towards her, reaching out. She was too scared to move, and its large hand rapped around her. It drug her to it, her small and soft body colliding with it large and hard one. She could finally move, but her movement where small and soft on it. She patted its chest, still no sound coming from her throat, but a clear movement telling it she wasn't comfortable and didn't like this at all. She whimpered when the smell came.

The smell was intoxicating and sensual, running around in her head and making her dizzy. Her hands slackened off the chest, dangling as it held her by the throat. She couldn't breath, she couldn't make anymore effort. She just wanted to sleep now, she hadn't slept in the past few hours. She was too afraid.

Then once more, the situation changed. She could somehow see the creature before her, well not really, but a bit. She saw it glinting red eyes, its lips pull back in a smile that showed no strangle of hunger it felt. The hand rapped tightly on her throat was moved. It was now bracing her neck as its other hand held her weight. He shoved her into his body once more, and she gasped in the sweet, but still scented air, around her.

_Its body…It's so cold..._

Its cheek pressed against hers, its freezing cold breath whispered in her small ear. One simple word, that was all, but even without her sight should could sense the evil and mocking grin on its face.

_"Maka..."_

Maka screamed. Her back shot up off the place she was resting on, and she scrambled as fast as she could in the darkness around her. The sound of someone calling her name and then a flick the room was in light.

It was a simple hotel room, but much nicer than her one in Brink, and she had been laying on the hard bed. Her partner Soul was crouched down beside her, and for a moment black dots danced in her vision. Then, groaning, she raised a hand to her face. She got it now. She must have fallen asleep on the car and her father stopped at a hotel, and someone had carried her to the room.

It was just a dream.

Even if it was nothing but her mind, she shook. Her teeth chattered together and she rested a hand on her clothes. They where ice cold, as if they had been pressed aginst something frozen. It took her a moment to relize that her partner was caling her name, that is, until he slapped her across the face.

"Maka? Maka? Are you alright?"

Her wide eyes locked on him, breath coming out in small pants. "S-Soul?"

His back sagged in relief, nodding. "Yeah, you okay?"

She nodded, a sickly taste and smell clinging into the back of her throat. Shuddering, she opened her mouth to reassure him she was perfectly fine-

_"MAKA! WHAT IS THAT NASTY TEENAGE MUTT DOING IN YOUR ROOM?"_ She twitched. Her father rushed in, dropping to his knees and jerking her to him, away from Soul protectively. "Be careful Maka, his stupidity might infect you." He pouted.

"Oy! Speak for yourself, you stupid old man!" Soul growled. "It's a miracle Maka managed to somehow live this far without you dropping her as a baby. Maybe that's the reason for her flat chest?" Soul bantered.

"Why, you-! My Maka is perfect just the way she is, unlike you, you retarded toothpick!"

_"Retarded toothpick?"_

Yeah,

Maka thought grimly as her once forgotten headache sprung back to live with a vengeance, this was going to be a splendid trip.


	2. I'VE been living in the 'bad place?

_When I saw I got review's so soon, I nearly flipped a table. Seriously, I was that excited._

_On the subject of the story picture thing;_

_I really wanted to use some of **Z-Raid**'s art (if you don't know who she is, go to deviantArt and love her. Love her, I say!) because she has the best MakaXAsura on the net. Seriously._

_But, sadly, I just could NOT find a pic that fit. I feel like I should do better for looking for a more fitting picture...Buuut...My hopes are on Z-Raid. I'm just gonna stalk her DeviantART and hope she come out with something I can use._

_I'm so close to just playing eniee-meanie-miney-flippin'-moe on her Gallery and selecting one._

_I already have pratically all her stuff saved to my computer._

_AND NOW WE MEET STINE AND SID. Whooh._

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【-✖- **Hϊsαhαяu -✖- **】

Chapter **2**

_You can't spell_ **MANSLAUGHTER** _without_ **LAUGHTER**

The next day, Maka was seriously going to hurt someone if they so much as said 'good morning' to her. She hadn't had her coffee, she couldn't sleep _at all _after her nightmare last night, and she had to listen to her father and Soul snipping at eachother every few seconds.

If things kept up the way it was going, Maka was going to go insane or commit manslaughter to the second degree. The two males of the group seemed oblivious to her rising temper, and continued to bicker.

"Look, Pops, this is a _door_, it opens _and _closes." Soul quipped, snickering.

"Yes, Twit, and this is a hot coffee!"

"Ow, dammit!"

That was it, that was it- that was it. "Both of you shut up! Papa, get in the limo, Soul, get your coffee and then get in the car! If you resist or even open your mouth, I will take a sledgehammer to Souls DSi and a smoke bomb to your apartment, Papa!"

Ah, silence. Sweet,_ sweet _silence

Her father shuffled off sadly into the general direction of the car, pouting no doubt, while Soul looked wide eyed at her, then at his coffee, then slowly edged towards the car. Looking up the coffee shop, she quietly ordered a cappuccino. Tapping her fingers impatiently, Maka rubbed her tired eyes. Last night she'd been far too freaked out and afraid to have another dream like that last one, so she had gone over some memories until she felt her father and Soul stirring in the other bedrooms linked to hers.

_I swear to Lord Death_, she thought, _if thoughs' two idiots start bickering in the car like yesterday…_

The coffee shop dude prodded her hand with her coffee, trying to get her attention no doubt. "Oh," She muttered without even looking up at him. "Sorry…" She handed him the money, shaking her head.

"No problem, Maka." The man replied.

Taking a large gulp of her coffee as he handed her the change, she stuffed it in her pocket. Walking a few steps past the rusted and small tables that she imagined where once used to sit people when the place was livelier, she stopped.

"How do you know my…?" She turned around slowly, hand shaking. The coffee shop was closed, the metal pull down door shut. Shaking her head once more, she shrugged. She was just tired, imagining things.

But even as she walked away, Maka felt that something about that was a complete and utter lie.

* * *

Slowly the car came into sight, making Maka just want to run in the other direction. Why did her father have to use a limo of all things to escort her to the DWMA? He probably just liked it because it was gawdy.

The very man who was the harsh object of her thoughts was leaning against her door, sipping his coffee. Ankles crossed and head tilted back in what he probably thought was a cool manor, his red hair glinting, she was going to hurt him if he opened his obnoxious mouth.

"You and Soul should reach the DWMA by tomorrow morning." He stated, eyes not looking at her.

"Great," She commented before catching herself, eyeing him. "Wait, what about you?"

Turning to her, his back straight and shoulders back, he smiled faintly. "Lord Death said there was an odd increase in madness around Proxi, in the small providence of Mirror's. He wanted me to check it out." She rolled her eyes.

Of course, just because her father was a Death Scythe he got to act all brave and save the day.

Death Scythes; A Demon weapon that eats ninety-nine Kisshu souls and one witch soul. Supposedly then it would become a fearsome device that Lord Death himself would take in as one of his personal instruments. All Archangels and Angels dreamt of one day making a Death Scythe, it was the ultimate goal for a weapon and miester. Maka had been striving to get Soul to be a Death Scythe, him having consumed twelve Kishan Egg souls.

From what she heard the DWMA bumped all the Angels straight to Archangels as soon as they hit around fifteen, but hardly any of them where true 'Angels.' A true angel is a person with a soul that cancels out and reflects all the negative madness wavelengths, but anyone who could wield a weapon partner was given the title.

Her father shoved off the car door, smiling politely. "Look, Maka, Papa will be fine. And so will you and that dog. The DWMA is sending a miester in to take care of you, so don't worry, 'kay?"

Maka twitched, rolling her eyes. "I wasn't worrying, Papa."

Her father sniffled sadly, muttering a quiet 'my Maka is so cold' before she slammed her door shut. Letting out a wail of frustration at her father, she crossed her arms. Everything he did was so annoying!

Turning her head, Soul was staring at her form the mesh. Glanceing at his DSi and then at her, he sighed and sat it down. Obviously trying to decide which was more important, her or the game, and picking her. Raising a hand to cut him off before he could say anything, she sniffed. "I don't wanna talk about it, Soul."

Nodding, he slowly picked back up his DSi, ever so quietly hooking up his headphones to it and sliding them on, watching her as if she would explode on him any second. After a few muinets of scilence and the longest amount of time she'd speant away form her father in what seemed like too long of a time, her lack of sleep caught up with her.

Dark, lupid tendrils of sleep curled at her vision, beckoning her to join them. Sinking into the merky depth didn't seem so bad…Atleast, not for just a few muinet-

"AH! N-NO!"

Maka shot upright with a startled yelp, Soul jumping as his headphones clattered to the floor. The windows where to dark to make out anything but a few shapes, and so she wrestled to get the door open and jump out with Soul right behind her.

Then stared.

There, standing by her cowering father, was a really funny looking man. He had a strong but hard body, under his jaw to the top of his hairline a row of stitches filling out. He was a very different type of attractive, older and looking around her fathers age. And he was making her father cower and cry on the ground like a two year old, so that was a plus.

And he had a screw going thorugh his head. That was always a good sign.

"Why. Spirit, you look so happy to see me." He snickered as her father hit the ground, crawling back with a screetch of horror.

"S-Stein! The DWMA sent _you?_"

"Who's Spirit?" Soul intruupted.

"Its what my father was called before he became a Death Scythe." Maka answered.

"M-Maka! Get in the car! Hurry! I'll hold him off!" Her father father declired, eyeing the man, Stein's, foot. "I'll bite you if you come any closer," He declaired to the man.

Laughing full out now, Stein's lab coat adorned with stitching patters blew in the breeze. "Why, you look familiar, child…" He eyed her in throught, then snapped his fingers. "Your Spirits' daughter, Maka Albarn!" He nodded.

"Thank you, captin obvious." Snirked Soul.

Stein just raised a eyebrow at him, grin still in place if not widening as he didn't comment.

"Who are you, mister?" She asked.

"Doctor Franken Stein. I'm surprised Spirit hasn't talked about me," His eyes slid over to her father, who paled. "We _are_ ex-pratners, after all."

"Y-You're a meannace!" He father squrimmed. "You used to dissect and run lab expariments on me in my sleep! It took me bit to figure out why new scars would appear on my body every night, but when I figured it out I transferred immediately!"

"Ah, but did you ever figure out I switched the second toe on your left foot with the one on your right?" Stine asked in a monotonious voice.

Her father screamed, flipping off his shoe and sock to begin inspecting his foot.

Laughing, Stein winked. "Just kidding."

"Gah, you bastard!"

"Well talk about my issues later, Spirit, now I must escort two chirldern to the DWMA." How chalverious.

"Over my dead body you'll touch my Maka!" He gasped.

"That can be arranged." He grinned evilly, makaing Maka twitch. Did her dad used to have a pet dragon, too? Seemed all too possible at this point.

"Hey, Spirit!" Came another voice. "Miss me?"

Soul growled loudly, tossing his arms up in the air as if to say 'what next'? Poor Soul was probably not expecting what was next. Out stepped a man, he looked like he was once Hispanic, but was not anymore. His dark colored dreadlocks hung limply and cool tribal tottoos covered his arms, which where hard coiled mucle.

"Sid! What has Stien done to you?" Her father gasped.

"It wasn't Stein, I just…Kinda…" He trailed off, scratching his head.

"Died," Stein finished.

"Yeah, got in a fight with a Kishin Egg and got killed, Stein brough me back…Kinda."

"Are you a zombie!" Soul interrupted.

"Yep," Stein and Sid replied at the same time.

"Im going back to the car," Soul said breathlessly.

"Maka, you go back to the car too!" Her father said, grabbing and hugging onto her leg tightly in fear. "Before Stein dissects you…"

Shaking her father off her leg roughly, she glared. "How'm I gonna' do that with you clinging to my leg, Papa?"

Stein looked at her then, deviligh gin in place. "I can cut him off, If you'd like." He offered.

Maka nodded fastly, her father screamed, then louder as Sid the zombie grabbed him. "Come on, Spirit. Me and you have a mission to do, remember?" Sid tugged.

Dragging away her father, who was most most definitally not coming quietly, Sid left Maka with Stein with just a small farwell wave. They stared at eachother for a moment before, soundlessly, Maka reached out and grabbed the door to her side of the limo, opened it, got safly inside it, and slammed it shut once more.

Soul eyed her. "So, what the hells going on?"

"Heck if I know," Maka grumbled, tucking herself aginst the mesh fence. "But maybe if your nice will cut off the mesh sperating us."

At that moment the front door opened with a click, Stein tucking himself in. The smell of cigarette smake and dissenfectant swirled around in the car with them. Stein turned around. "Okay, is there an-...?" He frowned.

"That stupid old man thought I was going to do something to Maka so he separated us." Soul said in...well, the way he had.

"Yeah," Maka rolled her eyes. "Even though me and Soul have lived together since we where ten, and he's my weapon partner."

"All right, then," Stein said slowly, turning around in the car. "On the road we go."

Then he cranked up the radio.

* * *

If Maka had a dime for every akward scilance that went on in that car ride, she'd be able to own the world. It seemed that the awarkness of their meeting never really died down; after a half hour or so of scilance—excluding the radio—everyone started to get somehow nervous.

Soul would shift in his seat, Maka would shift in hers. Stein would crank his screw, Soul looked at Maka. Maka would look at Soul, and Stein would look at them both through rearview mirror.

They where only around a hour and a half into the drive.

With her father, Maka was less akward and more brave; she knew that man and what he was and wasn't capible of. But this guy was just…a odd man. That smlled like most Hospitals. Soul, who hated Hospitals terribly, had moved so his shirt coverd his nose and blocked away all traces of the smell. Maka, not having ever really been to a Hospital but once, just kinda ignored it and was left to her thoughts.

Most thoughts where nice, calming ones where she imagined she was back at home and not in a strange place, with a strange man, and a odd car that she wanted to spill something on really bad just to upset her father. But slowly her mind started to downtake from home to anxiousness onto what her new place at the DWMA would be like. Would the people be nice? Would it be big?

Maka tried not to think about it much.

Without much else to think about, the nightmare she had the other night flashed into view. Maka really shouldnt have been scared of the nightmare, nothing overly bloody or down right scary had happened…But the darkness and the reality of it….It all just kinda of mixed into a pot inside of her mind and boiled into unpleasentness. And then that coffee shop dude?

Maka wasn't going to lie to herself; he'd said her name. Maybe everyone in the odd place was freaky, like her dad or this dude with the stitches? And people told her Brink was the 'bad place.'

"So…Maka, if your Spirits daughter, why where you guys living so far apart?"

Stein, obviously trying to make lighthearted conversations but ruining it with that monotone voice, kinda glaced at her thought the review mirror again. Maka just shrugged. "I went with Momma, and she didn't have allot of time on her hands to take care of me, being so great and having to run her company. She asked me where I wasnted to live, I said Brink. She payed for some of my bills and she checks in every once in awhile….But…" Maka trailed off, not really wanting to say anything else about the subject.

Stein just nodded. "I knew your mom, Kami. She was a good woman, always thought her and Spirit would be...Ehem. Then, whats your story, Soul?" Stein glanced away from Makas face in the mirror, seeing the change in her facial expression.

Soul just shrugged. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Stein just returned to being quiet without much of a fuss.

* * *

_Well, yeah. I wanna thank the people who review'd and stuff. This is a bit shorter then the previous one, so tell me if that tick's ya off. _

_SOMETHING ELSE; To you people that review'd...That means you like AsuraXMaka, right?  
I love you. Really. Thank you for liking or atleast putting up with this pairing._

_You all get one of Asura's skin scarves...[ONE STEP CLOSER TO HIM BEING NAKED...MUHURHURHUR.]_


	3. WHISPERS from BEYOND

I'm sorry. I feel like this chapter is total shit. o~o

Just got Slender. _ If you want to play its a free horror game, and I have the downlode link fo Windows and Mac.

* * *

【-✖- **Hϊsαhαяu -✖****- **】

**CALL** _of_ **MADNESS**

Chapter **3**

**See**_ no_** evil, hear **_no_** evil, speak **_no_** evil**_..._

"Oy, stitch face," Soul leaned forward abit later, making Maka nervous. Soul didn't mean hardly anything he said in way of mean names and such, but Maka didn't want the dissection loving scientist to get upset in such a…desolate landscape. "Can we pull over soon? I'm getting restless and wanna move around."

"Sure," Stein shrugged, running a spare hand down his face. "I need a smoke, anyway."

Maka's ears perked up at that. She was learning new things though the silence, if she focused hard enough. She was staring at Stein, she knew it and he knew it, but it was a calculating stare he didn't seem to mind much. He was a odd guy, true, but kinda cool.

The stitches on his face where real, not some make up thing to try and look 'cool' or 'badass.' His glasses weren't real prescription—is she squinted and looked at them closely she could see though them with her fine eyesight. His hair seemed to not be naturally colored that way, but something had been done to it to make it silver. She thought maybe he experiment on it or something, but she doubted he dyed it.

His eyes where this odd sea green, his face clear and slightly pale. His mouth was very expressive; she'd caught him frowning in thought, smiling while talking to her father earlier, and heartily commenting about things Soul or Maka talked about in the limo. He had that odd voice, but he wasn't all that bad. He seemed harmless enough.

But then again, she could see him ripping people apart late at night and using their bodies as cadavers.

It was a pleasant thought. _Not._

Before Maka could think about anything—or anymore at all, really—they pulled into a gravel road to the side. Peering through too-dark windows and squinting, she could see a small store in front of them. As soon as Stein got out, Soul, knowing it was no longer locked, jumped through the door and practically ran into the store.

Stein chuckled. "He really hates being in the car, doesn't the?"

"Yeah," Maka sighed, pulling her small form from the limo and shifting anxiously besides the Doctor. Just because she didn't want to be rude didn't mean she also didn't want to run into the store and never come out. "In Brink we where only inside at night, sometimes we'd stay out over that to find some Kisshu."

Stein 'hunn'ed', shrugging a shoulder and pulling out a cigarette. Maka, taking it that the conversation was over, she started to retreat into the store. "Maka!"

She turned her head, eyes wide.

"Don't try to escape, and tell Soul that window in the bathrooms not big enough."

Blinking, Maka could only quicken her pace into the run. How had he known she'd thought about running away? And what was that about the bathroom window? Rummaging into a small isle and fishing out a bag of Cheetos, she glanced down at the price. "Holy...!"

"Yeah," Soul said besides her now, making her jump. "The prices here are crazy. 1.50? We only had to pay, like, 50 cence for some in Brink…But its not just the Cheetos, everything here is expensive."

Shaking her head tiredly, Maka sighed. She was sure her father had money for her in the car, but she didn't want to use his money. Raising a hand to her head, she tried to focus past another headache and hear Soul.

"I tried to see if we could fit through the bathroom window in the boys. It was to high, but maybe I could give you a boost, and you can pull me over."

"Stein already knows what your planning, he said, and I quote, 'tell Soul the window in the bathroom is to small."

Soul cursed, nodding. "Probably…Creep."

Maka, no matter how much she didn't really want to , nodded. The guy was kinda a creep...There was just something so…off about him. Like he could read all her emotions and almost tell what she was thinking. "Maybe we should just…Run for it. Take the door and go around, even if he see's us, and run."

Soul was silent for a moment, thinking about it. Finally, he shrugged with his sharp, toothy grin. "He can't be to young, after all, if he knows the dinosaur that's your Dad."

Maka chuckled, grinning as wide as Soul was. They grasped eachothers hand, resting foreheads against one another's. It was something they often did; showing team work and strength; Maka didn't know if Soul ever prayed when they did this, he looked like it, but she figured it would 'cramp his style' to pray. Maka didn't; they where alone here—God wasn't going to sweep down and save their asses if things went bad.

When they pulled apart, Maka saw Soul eye the bag of Cheetos. "We are not going to rob the place, Soul."

"Oh, come on! The prices are stupid!"

"We're still not going to jack anything."

Grumbling, Soul followed her out of the store, the bell on the door making a clang as they closed it. There Stein was, leaning against the car calmly. He lifted a hand and jerked his head to the car, telling time it was time ot head out. Maka nodded, and her and Soul stepped off the sidewalk. It took a spit second for the action to happen, almost like it was choreographed.

But if you where like Maka, you'd understand perfectly.

Soul's wavelength flared, telling her he was ready and transforming. Maka's hand shot out, her own ripple responding to his. It was like a magnet; her wavelength made his, which was all that he was in the state inbetween shifting—a wavelength, move towards her hand. She grasped him, turning around and sprinting in the opposite direction as the transformation finished.

Oh, this was going to be hard if she wasn't careful.

Stein was a meister, that was obvious by the wavelength, but before this Maka hadn't thought to stop and use her sight to look at his soul. She hoped it would be small, showing he wasn't hugely powerful.

She was wrong, she knew it the second she moved to turned away to run. Stein's soul flared out, growing into a cold and Hospital scented breeze as wafted over them, making Maka stumble slightly. "Go, Maka!" Soul edged.

Maka did. She ran, her metal boots hitting the desert ground as she tried to pick up momentum, the dead tree around her not doing much to assist her in shelter. After a minute or two of resisting the erge to look back and see where he was, she tilted Soul's 'eye' behind them. "Where is he?"

"I can't see him!"

Shit. Maka was in a place she didn't know a rats ass about, with a Master meister—judging by his wavelength—and he had food, water, and a car. She really hoped limo's weren't that fast.

"Look out, Maka! Lean left!"

Maka, doing as Soul said out of trust, hissed as something zoomed past the air and into a tree by her right. Skidding to a halt as turning around in jump, she made a startled sound at the sight.

Stein, running extreamly fast, was leaning so far into the ground it seemed almost impossible. His soul, which Maka was using her sight to see, was huge…and had a screw going through it. And he was throwing…scalpels. "Shit!" She cursed, turning back around and starting to run.

"Maka, think! We have to get the advantage, we're totally on the losing side right now." Maka nodded biting into her lower lip. "Not to mention your running outta steam," Soul continued.

"Shut up, Soul!"

But he was right; her adrenaline was running low, and her legs where starting to ach painfully right along with her lungs. His steps where getting closer-she could hear them if she concentrated over her own breath. A tree caught the corner of her eyes, coming up in her path, and she started to slow down. "Maka!? Go!"

"I can't, S-!"

Maka cut herself off mid lie, tossing Soul into the tree and wrapping her arms around the slender trunk. Her booted—_metal_- feet slammed into Stein's stomach, and he hit the ground and tumbled with a 'oof.' The tree broke, and Soul snickered from his form. Grabbing him and twisting him free, she started running once more.

It took Stein a few seconds to get back up, but less then she was expecting. Roughly twenty seconds later, Soul proclaimed 'she better get her ass moving, because stitch face was gaining'. Hissing in pain, she demanded her feet to go faster, and thankfully, they did as told. Every time Maka would lean to the left, spotting something that would help- like cover, a scalpel would fly dangerously close to her face.

"He's herding us!" Soul snarled angrily, not truly mad, just in the heat of battle. Maka 'hurrumped', and as soon as the exclamation was out, Stein stopped being quiet about it.

Hurling scalpels like rocks, he started making them go to the right, sometimes more sharply then the other. He wasn't afraid to hurt Maka, she could tell that. When she didn't comply as he wanted a scalpel took a good nick of her arm once or twice, though nothing bad- just sting like a bitch. Testing him again, she jerked back from when the scalpel sliced into the air. Right where her side would have been. "I can't stop him."

"Damn…" Soul sighed. "Looks like we're just gonna have to go…and fight where he wants to fight."

Maka grunted, letting Stein herd them…Which wasn't hard. It was obvious that Stein would be more then happy to have Maka slow down and let it just be over, but she couldn't do that. She wouldn't fail Soul!

"Hey, stitch face! Enjoying the view, you pedophile!" Soul screetched, taunting him. Maka suddenly wondered what he meant before a responding scalpel hit his blade.

"Goddamn it! Watch where the hell you throw those damn things! Creeper!" Soul half phased out of his weapon form, raising a hand to point at what she assumed was Stein behind them. "You lived with Spirit, right? Talk about gay, man! I bet you did more then exp-Goddamn it!" A scalpel hit Soul, making him growl in pain. "Son ovva-!" Another whizzed by, cutting a bit off Soul's hair.

"Soul, maybe you should st-"

"_HE CUT MY HAIR!"_ Soul screeched, making Maka's ear's ring.

Before Maka could even respond with more than a eyeroll, the wall was coming up. "Cover!" She hissed happily, a new splash of adrenaline running through her. Her thin but powerful legs went faster and faster, making Soul shout at Stein in triumph. Pushing herself to the extreme—knowing she might regret it, Maka's boots made straight contact with the wall. Up and up, she went faster then gravity could pull her down, successfully running _up _the wall.

"Let's see you do that, ya' nasty hair-clipping-scalpel-throwing creeper!"

"Sou-" was all Maka got out before she slammed against the side wall of a metal house, her shoulder taking the blow. Her small body sagged as she struggled to keep upright. Breath panting through her lungs and fingers shaking on Soul's scythe, the only thing Maka could bring herself to feel was happy that she had atleast a little bit of _something_ besides open area.

Soul transformed, using his arms to help her lift up and take some of her weight. "Where did he go?"

"Probably trying to find a way inside," but as soon as she said it, a noise caught both their attention in the otherwise soundless night air. It was a eerie rolling sound that made Maka snap forward, standing at the gate she was unable to exit out of with Soul's scythe form tightly clenched in her fingers. Her legs shook too bad, knees quivering and begging for her to let them give out. Her hands on Soul where sweaty, cold moisture rolling down her face and chin, a drop hitting the pavement.

After a moment of actually _looking _at where they where, Maka cursed in shock. "Soul, this is his hou-!"

The stitched doors burst open, a few moments later a chair popped out, catching on the bottom door frame. Stein fell back, without saying 'ow', even, and patted his back area. Puffs of dirt came off of his lab coat in a otherwise funny manor, if not for the situation.

"Lets try that again."  
And he scooted back into the house, a few seconds later the rolling sound coming again. Steins form emerged form the shadows, but caught on the floor once more and he fell. This time he got up with a groan, and then sat back down. His face tilted so Maka could see his slanted eye through the rounded glasses. "So, how can I help you?"  
She needed to distract him, recover. Then maybe she could try and flee again with Soul; there was no way they where going to win a fight against a Master meister. That was like a human poking a Kisshu with a stick.

"You are one really, really, creepy dude, man," Soul groaned.

Stein just lifted his head slightly, grinning at him. Stein was treating them as if he didn't know them, like they hadnt just tried to escape him with everything they had in their minor arsenal. He probably had some sort of plan, or something...Special power? Who knew? "Your meister looks tired Soul, right, Maka?"

She refused to do more then try and stop her legs from shaking.

"You two could always stay at my house to recuperate, of course." He offered almost playfully.

"Hell no!" Soul grunted.

Stein just shrugged, his eyes flipping to Maka, who almost shivered under the sea-green depths. There was nothing he was doing that was outwardly scary, it was just the underlining taste of insanity, the tang of it lifting from the air around his body almost like a plausible and physical scent.

It was...choking.

Maka suddenly could see in her mind's eye it not being sweat rolling down her legs, but the hilt of his scalpel, rolling over her skin before he flipped the blade over with the cruelest of smiles on his face, running the other end down and cutting through her skin like it was butter, the scalpel heated by the warm flesh of his large and steady hand-

Swinging the blade of Soul forward and slicing down, Maka couldn't help but let out a sharp whimper at the all too real imagination. Stein kicked off the floor and swung an arm out to slam solidly into Maka's middle, sending her falling backwards with a groan of the bones. Lashing out with her arms to hopefully hit him, he kicked against one of the pillars of his home to send himself rolling backwards fast enough the blade couldn't damage any already stitched skin.

The bottoms of Maka's boots scratched comfortingly against earthen material and she stopped before ramming into something from the hit, though she knew damn well the bruises that where developing where going to be absolutely _freakin' _beautiful.

Stein was already recovering too, from just about nothing-considering, but spinning in the chair again and kicking off the doors to bound towards the weapon/meister pair. Sliding Soul in a spinning block to deflect Stein's palms from hitting echo of them, her teeth gritting together at how he spun and easily went in and out of their attacks unharmed.

Each time he himself progressed with his hits, his face got closer and closer to Maka's, letting the smell of madness scream into her being, making small black dots dance in her vision. This was the same man she sat in the car with calmly? Kami-sama*, he was going to rip her limp from limb, slowly, pull her apart... Damn, it was happening again, the little flashes of terrible, tiny visions.

This had to end quickly, because Maka was already getting light headed from the madness swimming so close to her brain.

Slamming Soul's blade and vaguely registering the grunt he made at the bone jarring slam it made with Stein's metal chair, Maka's foot slid to the ground in a side crouch as she flung the chair forcefully away from them. Stein stood from the chair eerily before it was flung away, his taller and lean frame standing stark against the dark sky in contrast.

Then..._Then_...He would reach forwards and wrap his hand around her neck and watch her lips go blue...Her eyes would roll backwards until the whites of her eyes where all that could be seen. Then Stein would lean forward and smile widely, teeth pointed and horrifying as he talked into her ear. "_See no evil, hear no evil..."_ His teeth would snap into her neck, rendering her bleeding out in his arms as he severed her arteries furiously. "_...Speak no evil..." _

That was it, that was it, that was _iiiiittt_. "Soul Resonance! Witch Hunter!" Maka and Soul's voice doubled together, the hum of power ebbing into Soul's blade and making the once quiet scythe grow slightly. Slamming it towards Stein, Maka expected a dodge, though it would be hard at that range, but instead the meister man's hands slammed together on the blade, pressing into the power and eradicating and tumbling the wavelength.

The move failed, sending Maka flying into the floor with a bone crunching_ smack_.

Stein seemed caught in the fight for a moment, ignoring the obvious move to seize both the children and instead humming his own vibration into his hand. Soul, jumping from the ground, decided to go hand to hand with the meister in hopes his Meister decided to haul ass up. His arm locked in a scythe blade, heading to distract the Master meister for a short time. He was taking on hits and bruises pretty fast.

Maka wasn't doing too hot, either.

Her sides exploded in pain from Stein's hits that'd slipped through her blocking, her leg muscles still twitcheing from the acid created by muscle overwork, jellying and cramping her legs to a state so harsh tears sprang in her eyes. Her shoulder was already a massive bruise from the ram into the wall earlier, on top of it small cuts and stinging pebbles where lacerated in her skin so deep she thought for sure even the scientist would fail to get them all out.

Lungs burning in her small chest, Maka' could feel a pain induced sleep drifting from the fuzzy edges of her brain, rising up until her eyes shut. Really, when had they become so heavy? And Soul...Soul could hold off and take care of Stein...just as long as she got a few seconds of sleep...Just..._A few..._

_Get up, little woman._

Maka jumped completely, her back going ramrod straight in the adrenalin that shot from some part of the gray matter of her mind that was probably almost out of the chemical. The voice was to clear, nothing like a dream at all, and the cold presence of a freezing hand on her bare neck was far, far more than her imagination. The dream, the man at the stand, this, it was all getting to weird. Something was up and it could be bad...her mind might be affected my madness, judging by the things that where presenting themselves...

All Maka's thoughts where going so fast now, her mind going into subjects not fit for things like battle time. Already standing, Maka's eyes ran over her partners battered body, his arms hanging loosly by his side, wounded by the limpness of the muscle being worked over my the vibrations of the other man's wavelength. Stein was unharmed, though his glasses where crushed, but the odd thing was, he stopped his assault and was staring directly at her, looking so sane she considered his having an evil twin.

Turning towards her partner, the mad scientists hands _'zinged'_ with electricity like trembles as he pressed both hands over Soul's head, who was charging. Her partner screamed out, the sound chilling Maka's heart, and blood seeped from his mouth in a detonation caused by internal bleeding.

"I hope I don't have to do that to you," Stein turned, making the small girl spin to a stop. He grabed Soul by the back of his shirt, hauling him up and over his shoulder. Striding to the doors to the house and pressing a finger in the lock and twisting, he walked out without looking over his shoulder. He knew she'd follow.

Maka did, because she knew she didn't have a choice.

Medical attention was needed, and it was hopeless to fight back in this state...

* * *

Weeeeeeeee~ Cliffhanger?

Kinda.

Well, yeah. This sucked cuz' I suck at battle shit. Oh well.

Some doctor persons probably going to say something, but I'll ignore it.

Besides; In SE BlackStar was fine after he had internal bleeding, so why cant Soul!?

Because he's BlackStar...

Yay for writing.

Reviews are rewarded with love and pokes from Asura...Because hugging is just to mainstream. (And too much contact for him, probably.)

Sorry this sucked... DX More MakaXAsura in the next chapter. Wee.


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